Focused deterrence in the Boston Ceasefire program consisted of convincing gang members that just illegally carrying a gun as well as using it would result in a severe federal sentence without parole. Many other jurisdictions have emulated this approach.

Deterring gun violence by targeting drug dealers. NIJ is evaluating a Project Safe Neighborhoods-sponsored program in High Point, N.C., that is applying a focused deterrence approach to the city's gun problem by targeting drug dealers operating in open markets within certain city neighborhoods. The theory is that focusing on drug dealing also reduces gun violence, based on data that appear to show that the two are closely intertwined in High Point. The researchers believe this is because open-air drug markets:

Create attractive targets for armed robbers.

Draw local youth into the drug trade as well as nonresident drive-through buyers.

Preliminary program results are illustrated by before-and-after crime maps of the same High Point neighborhoods. Colors indicate the number of crimes by census block. White indicates the fewest crimes and red the most:

Comparing Crime in High Point Neighborhoods, 2003 – 2006Source: "Street Drug Market Intervention in High Point, North Carolina," presented at the 2007 NIJ Conference.

The researchers cite the following reasons for these promising results:

The strategy is rooted in the community; police hold community meetings and solicit comments and support. This avoids the perception of a police crackdown and keeps the community engaged.